Self-opening cover for phonographs or the like



H. A. ARNOLD SELF OPENING COVER FOR PHONOGRAPHS OR THE LIKE April 22 1924.

Filed OCD- '7. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 22 1924. 1,491,222

H.A.ARNOLD SELF OPENING COVER FOR PHONOGRAPHS OR THE LIKE Filed OC. 7. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 223,

HAROLD ik. ARNOLD,

iiiii GF LENQRA, KANSAS.

SEiF-OEENENG COVER FOR PHONOGRAPHS OR THE L'TJ.

Application led October '7, 1922'. Serial No. 593,013.

To all whom t may con ccf/vt.' l

Be it known that I, HAROLD A. ARNOLD, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lenora, in the county oi Norton and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Opening Covers for Phonographs or the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in self-opening covers for phonogra-phs or the like, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed. y y

An object of my invention is to provide a self-opening cover for phonographs or the like which is adapted to instantly open when a push button is pressed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which has novel means for permitting the cover to open rapidly at first and to come to a relatively slow stop.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device or" the character described in which the hinges act as the cover opening means. i

A further object of my invention is to provide a devicek of the character described which has novel means for permitting the cover to be readily swung into closed position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which has a novel releasing mechanism for the cover. 1

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the releasing mechanism is made inoperative when the locking means of the cover is operated.

Ar further obj ect of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction and which may be readily secured to any phonograph cabinet or like device in which it is desired to have a cover instantly openv when released by a push button.

Jliirthe'r object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which comprises relatively few parts and which can bev7 manufactured at a slight eX- pense.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following speciiication, andthe novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims;

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a phonograph showing the releasing mechanism operatively applied thereto,

`Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detail or the releasing mechanism,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion ofv the releasing mechanism,

Figure i is a sectional view or another portion of the releasing mechanism,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the push button,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the phonograph cabinet, showing the cover lifting and controlling means operatively applied thereto,

Figure 7 is a sectional view oi the cover controlling ,mechanism,

Figure 8 is a section along the line 8 8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the novel type of spring hinge used.

In carrying out my invention, l make use of an ordinary phonograph cabinet l, or any other like box, which has a hinged cover 2 secured thereto. The cover 2 is secured to the boX l by means of spring hinges 8 (see Figure 9). These hinges are adapted to Swing the cover into the position shown in Figure `6 when the cover is released by a means now to be described.

ln Figures l and 2 I have shown portions of the phonograph cabinet which are adjacent to the releasing mechanism for the cover and have shown the releasing mechanism disposed in operative position. The cover 2 is provided with the ordinary catch 3 (see Figure 2) which projects through an opening et in a pla-te 5 when the cover is swung into closed position, and which is held inl this position by means or a spring pressed detent 6. The detent 6 is pivotally secured at 7 and has an opening or slot 8 therein through which one en'd oi a releasing rod 9 extends. A latch l0 is disposed in the slot 8 and is secured in place by means of a pin 1l. The arm 9 has a slot l2 which receives the latch l0, whereby the arm 9 is operatively connected to the dog 6. The upper end of the dog 6 ahook-shaped member 13 which is' received .in a hookcek shaped recess le. From this construction it will be observed that when the arm 9 is moi/ed to the right in Figure 2, it will swing the dog 6 so as to free the catch 3 and to permit the spring hinges to swing the cover into opened position.

The means for actuating the arm 9 is clearly shown in Fig. i and comprises a push button l5 of the shape shown in Figure 5. T he arnos 16 of the button have carnshaped sides 17 upon which a pin 18 rides. The pin i3 is secured in thevend oi the erin 9 end projects within the housing` i9 which slidably retains the push button l5. W hen the push button 15 is'inoved inwardly by manual pressure, the pin 13 rides on the Cain surfaces 17 so es to more the arm 9 to the right as shown in Figure 2 so as to swing the dog 6 and `release the cover 2. 2G engages with the arm 9 and tenes to move the arm so as to swing the dog into locking engagement with the catch 3. The' spring 20 is held by means et rivet 2l, this rivet in turn also securing a spring 20 in place. A lug 2l"supports the. free end of the spring 20. The spring 20 is adapted to return the button l5 to normal posi on. leai` spring 22Vyieldingly holds the dog 6 in lockingen-V gagement with the cate-h 3.

The phonograph l is provided with the ordinary locking` mechanism that is cuton.- aryin phone/graphs of ordinary construction. in fact, the dog 6 and the arin 9 are mounted in the casing 23 of the locking' means. A hey locking member 2d is carried by the casing 23 and has a recess 25 which is adapted to receive a key byineans ot' which the member is rotated so as. to swing a lugr 26 into engagement with the arm 9. `When the lug 26 is in engagement with the arm 9'.` the arm is thrown upwardly so 'as to release the siot l2 'trom the latch l0. lit will now oe observed that theV push button l5 may be actuated and will not release the dole; (i from the catch 3. A leaf' spring 27 engages with Jthe lug 26 when the locking member 2lis in opened position, whereby the member is retained'or held in this position. v p

' ln Figures 3, 7. and 8, I have shown a novel inechsnism for regulating the more nient ot the cover 2 as it is swung into Vopened position by means of the springs 3.

A. linlr 28 is pirotally connected to the cover 2 29 and has its other end connected to one arm 39 of a U-shaped member 3l. The other end of the U-shaped member 3l carries a novel piston valve which disposed within a cylinder 33 having a closed end 34. The cylindrical wall oiz the cylinder air vents 34% adjacent toV the upper end thereof tor a purpose hereinafter described. Brackets 35 are adapted to secure the cylinff der 33 and the member 3l tothe phonograph l.V When the cover is in closed position, the

A spring,

lt will also be noted that es the cover 2swings upwardly, the vaine 32 will be moved upwardly within the cylinder 33. lThe openings 3e permit the air within the portion of the cylinder closed by the Valve 33 to pass therethrough as the mire moves upwardly.V is the valve 32 ino-:fes upwardly7 it closes oii certain of the openings 34 so that the exhaust of air iro-m the closed portion or the cylinder 33 is rerniced. The decreasingpassage ci air out fro-in the cylinder retards the movement ofthe valve 32 in an upward direction. which in turn retards the increment or the lover 2. it will therefore be observed that the cover 2 will be brought. to e reletizfely slow stop. rilhe Valve 32 is providedl with a Vbail 36 which is disposed within afvalt/e seat 37. rihe ball 35 is seat-od when the vali/'e 32 moves upwardly9 but is unsesited as the f" noves downwardly7 whereby the may readily pass 'through the opening` 3i" into the closed portion of the cylinder 33, thereby peirnittinp,- the rapid descent of vthe valve 32.

rlhe cover 2 is manually closed and thisY can be readily accomplished since the air is not retarded as it passes into the cylinder 33, but is permitted to pass freely into the cylinder through the'opening 37. A. guard 38 permits the ball 33 to become unseated7 but prei/ents the Vball from moving out of Valinernent with the opening 37. lt will be observed from this construction that the cylinder b3 with the valve 32 controls Vthe movement of the cover 2 from closed to opened position and at the saine time permits the cover to be readily closed by hand.

ln Figure 91 have shown an additional checking; nieansior bringing the cover 2te a relatively slow stop. This means comprisesa pin 39 which is disposed inV openings 4e() and el, these Vopenings being alined when the coi/'er 2'is in closed position. Y The pin 39 projects between Vthe sides of the hinge 3, the sides of the hinge` acting as means for preventing thereinovel oi" the pin. Y A. compressionspring i2 is disposed betweenthe head i3 of the pin 39 and one side 44 of the hi nge 3. This spring is compressed when the cover 2 nears its full opened position and tends to quickly bring the coverV to rest. These two devices for stopping the movenient of the cover' when it is nearest its full opened position, prevents the hinges 3 from. opening the cover with such force so ythat `the cover comes to an abruptstop when opened.

From the foregoing description of the various parts oit the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.v When desiring to open the cover 2 so as to change the record, the button l5 is pressed which releases the dog 6 from the catch 3', whereupon the cover 2 will ybe swung into opened position by means ot the springs 3 as heretofore described. The movement of the cover will bc rapid at first, but will bequickly retarded when the cover nears the end of its movement. This is due to the special construction of the valve 32, the perforated cylinder 33, and the pin 39 which has the spring 42 cooperating therewith.

These mechanisms bring the cover 2 to a slow stop, whereby the cover is not jarred. The valve 32 is constructed so that it is practically inoperative when the cover is swung into closed position by hand. The air can quickly enter the cylinder 33 through the opening 37, whereby it does not require very much force to close the cover. The cover is instantly locked in closed position when closed by means of the dog 6. When the locking member 24E is actuated, it also releases the releasing mechanism from the catch 3. ln this manner, the push button l5 can be actuated as often as desired without placing a strain 'upon the dog 6 when the cover is locked in closed position.

The device is very simple in construction and can be readily attached to phonograph cabinets with but slight alterations being necessary in the latter. The releasing mechanism for the cover works in connection with the locking mechanism, whereby the releasing` mechanism is inoperative when the cover is locked. The device provides novel means by which the cover of the phonograph can be instantly opened by merely pressing a button of a mechanism which is inoperative when the cover is closed by hand. rThe device is simple in construction and is not likely to easily get out of order.

l claim:

1. The combination with a box having a cover, of spring hinges connecting said cover to said box and being adapted to swing saidy cover into opened position, means for locking said cover in closed position, and a push button operatively connected to said locking means for releasing said locking means when manually actuated, whereby said cover will swing into opened position.

2. The combination with a box having a cover, of spring hinges connecting said cover to said box and being adapted to swing said cover into opened position, means Jfor locking said cover in `closed position, a push button operatively connected to said locking means for releasing said lookin@r means when manually actuated, whereby sa1d cover will swing into opened position, and means Jfor bringing the cover'to a slow stop when swung into opened position.

3. The combination with a box having a cover, of spring hinges connecting said cover to said kbox and being adapted to swingsaid cover into opened position, means vfor lockingfsaid cover in closed position, a push button operatively connected to said locking means for releasing said ioclring means when manually actuated, whereby said cover will swing into opened position, and means for permanently loci-:ing said cover in closed position, said last named means disconnecting said push button from said iirst named locking means.

4. rlhe combination with a box having a cover, spring hinges connecting said cover to said box, a hook carried by said cover, a locking dog carried by said box and normally engaging with said hook to lock said cover in closed position, and a push button operatively connected to said dog, said hinges being adapted to swing said cover into opened position when said cover is released by said push button.

5. The combination with a box having a cover, spring hinges connecting said cover to said box, a hook carried by said cover, a locking dog carried by said box and normally engaging withsaid hook to lock said cover in closed position, a push button operatively connected to said dog, said hinges being adapted to swing said cover into opened position when said cover is released by said push button, and means for retarding the movement of said cover when the cover is near its full opened position.

6. The combination with a box having a spring pressed cover adapted to swing into opened position when released, of a cylinder having openings in the wall thereof, a piston valve slidably disposed in said cylinder and being operatively connected to said cover, said valve being moved toward the closed end of said cylinder when said cover is moving into opened position, the air in said cylinder passing out through said openings as the valve moves therein, said valve closing certain of the openings as it moves in said cylinder, thereby cutting down the movement of air passing from said cylinder and slowing the movement of said valve, and a ball valve disposed in said piston valve for permitting the rapid movement of said piston valve toward the open end of said cylinder.

7. In a device of the type described, a casing having a cover, a locking dog carried by said casing and being adapted to engage with said cover to lock said cover in closed position, a push button operatively connected to said dog, and means for disconnecting said push button from said dog.

8. In a device of the type described, a casiso inghavng a cover, a locking dog carried by said casing and being adapted 'to enga-ge Wil; said Cove-i' to 100k Said Cove? in Closed position7 Said dog having a gomfe cui; there- 5 in, a ba? Having one and sidably Csposed in said groove' auf? hafmg a Hotel; adaped to operatively engage Wil Said dog, Whereby said flog is actuated when Sadbay is moved, and means for waving said bar so as' 10 to dlsengage the notch' imm sald dog,

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HARGLD A. ARNOLD. 

